Choel
by Mesalline
Summary: Ianto didn't know that Owen could speak Welsh.


_Authors notes: thank you to all my reviewers:hugs: And many thanks to Casnewydd for BETAing this fic, and making sure that the Welsh was actualy Welsh. _

Owen donned his leather jacket and made his way to reception, cursing as he heard the pitter patter of rain lashing against the glass windows.

"_A welsh summer consists of 99 per cent rain, 1 per cent__ sunshine,"_ he thought dryly. Today happened to fall in the 99 per cent category.

He sighed and stepped outside, ducking his head against the down pour.

He shoved his hands deep into his pockets, hunched his shoulders and made his way to the car park.

The place was deserted.

What he didn't expect to see as he rounded the corner was someone leaning over the rails, drenched, and staring almost wistfully at the freezing lake below.

Owen stopped.

He could so easily ignore him, turn around to his car and drive home. But Ianto looked about ready to jump, and if he did, Jack would kill him, bring him back, and kill him again.

Owen felt faintly ashamed. The only reason he wasn't already half way back to his apartment was because Jack scared him.

"Gobeithia 'ch re mo yn arfaethu at naid?"

Ianto spun round, startled. His wet hands slipped off the railings, sending him careering to the floor. Owen caught him.

"'n ddichlyn."

Ianto stared at Owen, gob smacked.

"You…speak Welsh?" he said finally.

Owen smirked.

"Bucheddais i mewn Cymru achos hychydig blynedd."

Ianto blinked.

"'m hefyd," he replied.

Owen tilted his head to one side.

"So, you weren't planning on jumping, were you tea-boy?" he said in English.

Ianto shrugged and stepped back away from Owen.

"I didn't know you could speak welsh," said Ianto, trying to change tack.

Owen looked slightly sheepish now.

"There was this…girl," he said lamely.

Ianto raised an eyebrow.

"Anrhegai 'ch Cymraeg gwersau?" he asked, laughing.

Owen grinned.

"Something like that."

"She taught you well," said Ianto, smiling.

They both rested their elbows on the railing, the rain forgotten.

Owen looked sideways at Ianto and narrowed his eyes.

"'ch erioed atebedig 'r chwestiyna."

Ianto sighed.

"Life's difficult." He replied.

"So…what? You're going to run away?"

Ianto looked ashamed and shook his head.

"You know what? When I worked at the hospital, people came in and out of those doors every minute of the day. Some of them stayed over night, some of them went home within the hour. And some of the less fortunate ones stayed for months. Some of them died and some of them lived. I soon learned that you can't save everyone."

Owen paused.

"One day a kid came through those doors. Car accident it was. Serious. We worked for hours trying to save him."

"I'm so-"

Owen shook his head.

"Listen. We worked for hours trying to save him. The kid new he wouldn't make it. Something he said to me before he died has stayed with me, and it'll probably stay with me forever."

After a long silence, Ianto asked quietly,

"What was it?"

Owen looked up sharply.

"Ca choel," he said softly.

Owen smiled sadly.

"The kid died. He would have given anything to stay, of course. But he didn't run away."

Ianto lowered his gaze.

"Sure life gets difficult," he continued. "But don't run away. Torchwood at least should have taught you that."

Owen clapped Ianto on the back and looked up at the sky.

"Rains stopped," he commented.

Ianto grinned.

"So it has."

Owen turned to walk away.

"Ddiolch 'ch!" he called.

"Okay, de bachgen."

Ianto burst out laughing as Owen vanished round the corner.

Chuckling, he turned to look at the now sparkling water.

_Maybe Owen was right for once_, the thought. _Maybe, just maybe, he was. _

"Ca choel," he murmured.

"Ca choel."

Gobeithia 'ch re mo yn arfaethu at naid

_I hope you're not planning to jump?_

- Bucheddais i mewn Cymru achos hychydig blynedd

_I've lived in Wales for a long time_

'm hefyd

_Me too_

Anrhegai 'ch Cymraeg gwersau

_She gave you welsh lessons?_

'ch erioed atebedig 'r chwestiyna

_You didn't answer the question_

Ca choel

_Have faith_

- Ddiolch 'ch

_Thank you_

Okay, de bachgen

_Okay, Tea boy_


End file.
